title: Stress and coping in caregivers of patients awaiting solid organ transplantation.
abstract: Caregivers for patients undergoing solid organ transplantation play an essential role in the process of transplantation. However, little is known about stress and coping among these caregivers. Six hundred and twenty-one primary caregivers of potential candidates for lung (n = 317), liver (n = 147), heart (n = 115), and/or kidney (n = 42) transplantation completed a psychometric test battery at the time of the candidate's initial pre-transplant psychosocial evaluation. Caregivers were generally well adjusted, with only 17% exhibiting clinical symptoms of depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II score >13) and 13% reporting clinical levels of anxiety (State Trait Anxiety Inventory score >48). Greater caregiver burden and negative coping styles were associated with higher levels of depression. Greater objective burden and avoidant coping were associated with higher levels of anxiety. Caregivers evidenced a high degree of socially desirable (i.e., defensive) responding, which may reflect a deliberate effort to minimize fears or worries so as to not jeopardize patients' listing status.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
authors.forename: Amy M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Goetzinger
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Blumenthal
authors.forename: C Virginia
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: O'Hayer
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Babyak
authors.forename: Benson M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: Lephuong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: R Duane
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Joseph G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: Carmelo A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Milano
authors.forename: Alastair D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Paul C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Scott M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Palmer
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D014850:Waiting Lists